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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/T18950/01
Title: Strained Si/SiGe Virtual Substrate Heterojunction Bipolar Transistor
Principal Investigator: O'Neill, Professor A
Other Investigators:
Chattopadhyay, Dr S Bull, Professor S Olsen, Dr S
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Atmel Cenamps
Department: Electrical, Electronic & Computer Eng
Organisation: Newcastle University
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 April 2005 Ends: 30 June 2008 Value (£): 439,183
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Electronic Devices & Subsys. Materials Characterisation
Materials Synthesis & Growth
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Electronics
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
The world market for semiconductors is counted in $100 Billion's per year. While 79% of this market is in CIVICS, a substantial 20% is in bipolar and the combined BiCMOS technology. These bipolar devices increasingly make use of the alloy SiGe to engineer one region (the base) and improve performance. Atomic spacing in SiGe is wider than in Si, so growing SiGe on Si wafers strains the SiGe. By using relaxed SiGe virtual substrate wafers, active layers of both Si and SiGe can be strained in tension and compression, which allows a greater degree of strain engineered improvements in material properties. A computer simulation pilot study funded by EPSRC demonstrated exciting new bipolar device concepts, not possible otherwise. These include faster chips and a more extensive variation of energy bands, which control current in transistors. This proposal addresses the world's first demonstration of strained Si/SiGe virtual substrate heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) and their integration with strained Si CMOS, which has recently been pioneered in the UK by the investigators. It will allow single chip solutions where at present two or more chips are required. The availability of a bipolar counterpart to strained Si CMOS must also broaden the appeal of this new technology and its uptake by design houses.
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Organisation Website: http://www.ncl.ac.uk